


Platonic

by StarrAngelofNarnia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: ADHD, Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Alternative Lifestyles, Corporal Punishment, Domestic Discipline, Good Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts Inter-House Friendships, No Sex, Non-Sexual Spanking, Non-Sexual Submission, Platonic Relationships, Spanking, Tags May Change, Underage Relationship(s), Work In Progress, ooc draco malfoy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:07:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27646589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarrAngelofNarnia/pseuds/StarrAngelofNarnia
Summary: Going to Hogwarts is hard enough when you're Muggleborn. It's even harder when you start to notice you're different. Luckily, Draco Malfoy is a wonderful friend who will do what he can to help you out. Even if it's a bit unconventional.*Contains disciplinary spanking between minors
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Reader, Hermione Granger & Reader, Luna Lovegood & Reader
Kudos: 18





	1. Deprecating

**Author's Note:**

> I had an idea to write a reader insert exploring domestic discipline but this just sort of turned into a self-indulgent fiction. You can still insert yourself though! The character is Ravenclaw but gender shouldn't matter. 
> 
> This reflects how I've grown up in such a relationship and what I've found I most need from such a relationship over the years. Domestic Discipline is a real lifestyle and this story sort of reflects that need. 
> 
> It also simultaneously reflects my personal struggle with ADHD. But my struggle may not be the same as anyone else's. 
> 
> If you're still here, I hope you enjoy! Leave a comment below if you like it or have ideas.
> 
> This chapter does not have spanking.

“Fascinating rumor going around about you, [Y/Surname],” Draco Malfoy leered, dropping himself into the chair across from me at the library.

“And what rumor would that be?” I asked, not looking up from my transfiguration essay.

“Something about failing a potions exam!” he pressed, sounding too excited to behold this information.

My stomach dropped. I snapped my textbook closed, leaving my essay in it. “I don’t want to talk about it, Malfoy,” I grumbled, capping my ink as quick as I could and throwing my supplies in my bag. I slung it over my shoulder, and as I walked away, I slid the book off the table into my arms.

“Ooh touchy, I see. What did you do?” he asked, quickly falling into step with me as I left the library.

“Draco, please,” I pleaded, stopping suddenly to turn and face him. The jovial light in his eyes faltered, so I turned back around and kept walking, slowing my pace only slightly.

“Okay. What happened? Spill it, [Y/N],” he demanded.

“Can we not? When people are around? It was embarrassing enough when it happened. I don’t need to relive the experience with an audience.”

Thankfully, he didn’t pester me further for the moment. Instead, he laced his arm through mine, so we were now connected at the elbow. I certainly appreciated the gesture; at least I knew he legitimately cared and wasn’t just on my case to be annoying.

We pushed the door open to the courtyard and retreated to an empty, quiet alcove. “So, you really did fail a Potions exam?”

“Not quite. I studied. I really did. And I knew all the answers. That’s the frustrating part.”

“But...” he pressed, not allowing me to off rail the conversation.

“But, I got to the exam and I panicked. I knew the answers. But I couldn’t put a name to them." I started speaking quicker, the words pouring out almost faster than coherent. "It was there, but it was hazy, and I just couldn’t recall it to write it down. And I started looking around the room frantically and I accidentally caught a glimpse of someone else’s test paper and it helped bring the word to mind and I wrote it down. But Snape saw.”

“Ah, so worse than failing. You cheated,” he accused.

“Not on purpose!” I whined. “It was an accident. I wasn’t looking around the room to intentionally find the answer. I was just panicking.” I grumbled into my hands.

“It’s only cheating if you get caught. Otherwise, it’s using your resources wisely. How very un-Slytherin of you, to get caught,” he mockingly chastised.

“Well, that’s fitting, seeing as I’m not a Slytherin,” I sassed, gesturing to the blue and bronze of my uniform tie. “But you’re not helping.”

“Sorry. Continue. So, you got caught cheating and you failed? End of story?”

“Actually, no. Weirder. He took my exam away, made me stay after class, and told me he’d be giving me Thursday night detention to retake it.” Though I didn’t mind Snape, he certainly had a reputation of not being the nicest. So, allowing me to redo the test had seemed entirely out of character.

“Last night was Thursday night.” I nodded, not willing to give him the satisfaction of an immediate answer. “You know what I meant, you prick. What happened with the test?”

“Aced it. Perfect score,” I pouted.

“Alright, Ravenclaw, I shouldn’t have to tell you that a perfect score on an exam is a good thing. So why are you acting like a favorite pet died?”

Just for a moment, I wished he could take things more seriously. “Because I feel so stupid. And guilty. And cross with myself. How could I forget an answer? Why did I panic? Why did I look around the room like an idiot? And I’m relieved that Snape gave me a second chance, but I also feel guilty, like I didn’t deserve it.”

“[Y/N],” he said, his tone a bit softer, most of the joking gone. The change of tone grabbed my attention and I looked up into his stormy grey eyes. “Snape is a stickler for rules. He wouldn’t let you re-do an exam if he didn’t truly think you deserved it.”

I sighed, leaning my head back so it rested against the cool stone wall. “But why? What makes him think I deserve it?” I was voicing my concerns aloud more than I was expecting an answer.

“Why don’t you ask him?” Draco encouraged.

“Because he still scares the shite out of me.”

He laughed. “Only way to find out. But Lovegood’s found us, so I’m gonna split. Congrats on your first experience rule breaking and even bigger congratulations on a perfect exam score!” He applauded, standing up and retreating. “See ya!”

-

Draco found me again the following Tuesday. “[Y/Surname],” he greeted, taking a seat next to me in the library. Today I had chosen a spot at the counter, in front of one of the bookshelves. It made accessing books I would need much easier. I wouldn’t have to get up to go find something.

“Malfoy,” I greeted in response. I wasn’t really feeling up to talking. My charms essay was due tomorrow. And I was struggling with it.

“There are a number of uses for the levitation charm that I have found in my research,” Draco read from my paper over my shoulder. “Fascinating topic. Essay’s a bit short though, don’t you think?” he teased.

“I can lift feathers. What else?” I grumbled. Okay, so that statement was a bit obvious. That was simply what we practiced our practical skills with during class. First year we used feathers, second year revisiting the spell, Flitwick had given us books, a bit of a challenge.

“You can’t be serious?” he asked, grabbing my paper from me and reading through what I'd written so far.

“Okay, I know I can use the levitation charm to lift more than feathers. That’s not what I’m struggling with. I guess what I’m struggling with is, why do I need to write this essay? Can’t the levitation charm be used to lift anything?”

“Of course, it can be used to lift anything. Levitate your book bag through the halls if you so choose,” he commented, handing the still-too-short parchment back to me.

“That’s stupid,” I quipped, sitting back in my chair, running my fingers through my hair. It was bothering me, just hanging there loosely. Absentmindedly, I started to twist the strands into a plait.

“Why is it stupid? You correctly identified that the levitation charm can be used to lift anything,” he smirked.

I had the sudden desire to smack him. It was a good thing my fingers were tangled in my hair. “It’s stupid because you can just pick up your stupid book bag. It’ll take more energy to levitate it than to just carry it on your shoulder.”

“Okay then,” he said smugly, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms. "There’s your answer.” He unfolded his arms long enough to direct his wand at my hair and mutter a sticking charm, ceasing my hopeless search for a hair tie. I let go of the plait and, like magic, it stayed together.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, picking up my quill again, running the soft ends of it through my fingers. “But I don’t understand.”

“Instead of thinking of the question in terms of what you _can_ levitate, think in terms of why you would need to levitate such items.”

It felt like a lightbulb had clicked on. “Oh!” I exclaimed excitedly, earning a glare from Madam Pince. “So, you mean, I could use the levitation charm to lift a book, which is obvious. But I might use it to bring a book closer to me that’s far away, or to lift multiple books at once which are too heavy for me to physically carry.”

He nodded. I turned back to my paper and began writing with fervor. For almost a paragraph, the words flew onto the paper with an almost natural ease and I momentarily forgot where I was until my friend spoke up once again. “Sometimes I don’t understand how you can be so bloody brilliant, but at the same time...” he trailed off, as if searching for the word. He was currently staring at me like a problem he was trying to solve.

“So stupid?” I finished for him.

“I was trying to find a less deprecating term, but yes.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time in the past week I’ve done something stupid. I mean, it’s just on time to fall within the same 7 days as the last stupid thing I did,” I muttered, attention still mainly focused on my work in front of me.

I felt his hand on mine and I only sort of heard him ask, “Are you still hung up on what happened with your potions exam last week?” I continued a steady stream of writing, only stopping to re-dip my quill in ink for a few more moments before my rush of inspiration faltered once more. I skimmed back through what I had just written and was pleased to find that I had managed to add another 7 inches. That almost completed the essay, just another 3 or so inches to go.

“What?” I asked, suddenly registering that he had spoken to me. I rested my quill next to my essay and massaged the cramping out of my wrist and fingers as he spoke.

“Is this still about what happened with your potions exam?” Momentary high forgotten, my face fell. “It is,” he answered for me. “[Y/N], you’ve got to let it go. It happened, it’s over. There will be another potions exam. Plenty of them. You’ve got 5 more years of this once you finish this school year.”

“Am I going to forget what I’m doing on every one of them? Panic and get caught cheating on every other?”

“You haven’t done that before. So, I doubt it. You’re not stupid. If you were, I certainly wouldn’t hang out with you. You’re a year below me and not in my house.”

“I know. And I’m smarter than you, most of the time. But I’ve seen your Slytherin friends, the only way they’ll ever get anywhere in life is cheating off you.”

“Oh, so I see when you’re not being self-deprecating, you’d rather insult me. Awesome,” he grumbled.

“I’ve seen how you interact with other people, Malfoy. You can afford to be knocked down a peg or two. All out of love, of course.”

He shook his head and then looked back at me with a new glint in his eye. “You successfully distracted me. But I’m not done. Potions,” he demanded.

“It’s time to go. Dinner is in half an hour,” I ignored his question as I packed up my homework, so I’d have time to drop by my dorm before going to the great hall.

“That’s fine. You can walk and talk at the same time. Potions,” he demanded again.

I huffed but gathered my bag and started talking as we made our way out of the library. “I’ve just never struggled in school. And it’s frustrating. And now I’ve struggled well enough that I cheated on a test. And I hate myself for it.”

“Well, you are muggleborn. Couldn’t that contribute to your struggles?”

“No, you prat. It’s nothing like that. It’s things like, knowing an answer but not being able to recall it when I need to. Struggling to understand what I’m reading when I’ve always read with ease before.” Seriously, what was wrong with me?

“I still don’t like hearing you call yourself stupid or saying you hate yourself. There will be plenty of people in this world who hate you; you shouldn’t be one of them.”

We walked in silence until we came to the central staircase. Draco would be going down; I’d be going up. “[Y/N], you made a mistake. But it’s resolved now, so you’ve got to find a way to let it go.”

I sighed. I could make no promises. “Thanks for your help with my charms homework, Draco,” I whispered. I reached my hand out just enough that our fingers brushed together, before I turned away and ran up the stairs to Ravenclaw Tower. 


	2. Persona

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still no spanking in this chapter but there are multiple conversations building up to it. 
> 
> This chapter is from Draco's Point of View
> 
> Kudos + Comments = Love

Every time I had seen [Y/N] the past couple weeks, she just hadn’t been herself. She was often shy and reserved, quick to ferocity when defending someone or something important to her, but otherwise still a calm and sweet presence. But recently she’d been withdrawn and constantly on edge. Her eyes held shadows of restless nights. And she was very quick to anger or sadness. But the absolute worst of it was hearing her call herself stupid. She was far from it.

Despite being a muggleborn, I had been drawn to her. Perhaps, it was because she reminded me in many ways of my mother. Or perhaps it was because she had told me off on the train on the way to school. As luck would have it, she had found an empty compartment with my only academic rival, muggleborn Gryffindor, Hermione Granger. And when I had found them, asking where Potter and Weasley were, the topic of blood status had come up, as it often did. “Where’s the Chosen One and the Blood traitor?” I had asked. “If I knew, don’t you think I’d be sitting with them, Malfoy?” Granger had replied. “I’d say it was that perhaps they’d finally made the choice to not allow muggleborns in school, but then you’d be gone and they’d be here,” I had smirked, egging her on.

“Oh, as if you’re perfect and not the result of inbreeding,” a voice I did not recognize muttered from the corner.

“What are you talking about? Never seen you around before. You a mudblood too?” Crabbe and Goyle had gasped in horror before guffawing in laughter.

The new girl looked surprised, as if she hadn’t even realized she’d spoken aloud until I addressed her. Granger snickered before replying, “Her name is [Y/Full N] and she’s a first year. But clearly she’s already smarter than you.”

Turns out, she was right. Inbreeding didn’t just apply to animals. It was the reason some wizarding families had survived, and others had died out. The reason I was an only child, why my mother had never been able to carry any of her other numerous pregnancies to term. How nobody had ever figured that out was appalling. Here I was, heir to one of the oldest and most powerful families in Wizarding Britain, and I’d just been schooled by two muggleborn witches.

I had watched [Y/Surname]’s sorting with interest and was oddly relieved to find her sorted into Ravenclaw. At least it wasn’t Gryffindor. And from there, we had struck up a tentative friendship. I often found her in a quiet corner of the library or out in the courtyard. She had made fast friends with a fellow Ravenclaw first year, Luna Lovegood, but other than the oddball pureblood, she pretty much kept to herself. Whenever I spotted her and happened to be free from the dunderheads who followed me around, I’d approach her and attempt small talk. And though initially quiet, once I got her to talk with me, she was quite friendly and outspoken. And gradually, our friendship had grown from there. She was the first _real_ friend I had made since starting school and I cherished it. Despite prejudices declaring we couldn’t be friends, somehow, we had lasted through an entire year as very close friends.

But now, seeing how distressed she was over what had happened during her first potions exam of the year, it concerned me. But it reminded me of a conversation I’d had with both my parents the year before I had started Hogwarts. And I wondered if I might be able to help her. My mother, I had accidentally found out, had a rather unconventional relationship with my father. But their love couldn’t have been stronger, despite what many would have likely frowned upon. And because of how much my best friend reminded me of my mother, I thought I might be able to use a similar relationship dynamic to help her, even if the relationship was only platonic.

After my final class of the day had ended on Thursday, a week and a half later, I spotted [Y/N] in the library, exactly where I expected to find her. She had a book open in front of her, parchment laid out next to it, but she wasn’t working. She was staring blankly ahead, running the feathers of her quill in between her fingers. I was relying on her recent tendency to vacate whenever I arrived to set my plan in motion.

I walked over to where she was sitting. “[Y/Surname],” I greeted, keeping my tone of voice even, trying not to give away what I was planning. As expected, my greeting had snapped her back to the present and she immediately began packing up her things.

“Sorry. I’ve got to go,” she muttered, pushing past me. I followed her out of the library and down the hall.

“Hey! Where are you going?” I called to her from a slight distance. She didn’t answer. I picked up my pace, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into an empty study room. The study rooms would be a perfect place because they were soundproof, could not be unlocked with a charm, and were just the perfect size.

“Draco, please,” she pleaded. She looked exhausted. And miserable. “Why did you pull me in here?”

“Because we need to have a chat Miss [Y/Surname],” I began in a clipped tone. I turned the lock on the door so we could have some privacy.

“A chat about what?” she whined, plopping down into the desk chair.

“A chat about your recent behavior,” I lectured, spinning on my toe to face her. “Cheating on an exam, being disrespectful to your professor when given a second chance, and now not taking care of yourself.” I paced around the room as I spoke.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What on earth are you talking about Malfoy?” She propped her elbow on the desk and let her head fall on to her outstretched hand, looking at me like I wasn’t speaking English.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I began, turning abruptly to face her, crossing my arms in an attempt to appear intimidating. “What is it about what I just mentioned that you do not understand? Surely you remember the debacle with your potions exam. And I’m not blind to your current physical wellness either,” I pointed out, lifting her chin so I could see her eyes, emphasizing my point.

“No. I mean yes, I remember. But...” she trailed off. “Draco what are you doing? I don’t understand.”

I let my demeanor fall. “I’m just trying to help you, [Y/N]. Instead of just telling you to get over it, I’m actually trying to help you do that.”

She looked down at my toes. “Oh. Okay.”

I picked up the role I had chosen for myself once again. “Now I can understand panicking during a test. What I’m not okay with is your continual arguing about your make-up exam. Professor Snape was quite kind to offer you that second chance, and it’s disrespectful to question him. He is the teacher, not you. If he tells you to redo a test, you do it without argument. It’s not your choice.”

I squat down, grabbing the desk for leverage, so I was now level with her. She was still staring at the floor. “Oh. I guess that makes sense. I didn’t think that it might be disrespectful.”

“Hmm,” I agreed. “Not to mention, I’m tired of you using this incident as an excuse to neglect your health. You’re insulting yourself better than any pureblood, which I will not stand for. And I can see in your face that you aren’t getting enough sleep and you’re not eating. Care to indulge me with any other self-care routines you’re skipping out on?” I asked, raising my brow again.

“Um, no.”

“When I address you in such a manner, you shall address me as sir. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re long overdue for the consequences, my girl. I will not tolerate your behavior any further.”

“Consequences?” she asked, stunned.

“What, did you think I brought you in here for? A party? No, of course not! You’ve earned yourself a spanking, young lady!”

Her eyes shot up from the floor and they were wide with terror. “What?! No! Draco Malfoy, you can’t do that!” she shook her head with angry confidence. But her voice, which had risen in pitch, betrayed her fear.

I sat down on my knees, so I now had to look up to see her. “[Y/N], I won’t, if you really don’t want me to.” I’d dropped my charade of disappointed caregiver. “But I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t think it would help you.”

“No. I don’t want it. You’re mad.”

I shrugged. “I happen to know a little bit more on the subject than you do, having grown up around it. I am not mad, simply more well versed in the mechanics of such an act. And I do have reason to believe it would help you relinquish the guilt you’re feeling recently. But I will not force you into it.”

She studied me for a moment, and I did not say a word, only wondering if she had found what she had been looking for. After a moment, she sighed. “Can I please go back to my dorm now?”

I stood up and unlocked the door, gesturing her out. “If you need anything, come find me. I’ll see ya around, [Y/Surname],” I said, as she scurried down the hall and around the corner, out of sight. Her answer hadn’t been surprising, but I’d give her some time to think about it. Obviously, what I was suggesting was unusual at least, scary at most.

The next day was a busy one and I had spent most of it studying, but when I finally turned into my room for the night, I had found my familiar sitting on my bed with an odd heart shaped piece of paper. I knew before I even read it who the note had come from. “You win. I’ll try it.”

-

She found me Saturday morning, as she had been instructed, at 10am sharp in the largest study room. I had picked this room in particular because of the lounge furniture. It would make the morning’s activities easier and more comfortable for both of us. I was probably just as nervous as she was, because though I had witnessed such a spanking being given, that didn’t make it any more likely that I would actually know what to do once I had her in position for it.

As soon as she had entered the room, I locked the door shut behind her. On a Saturday, it was unlikely that very many people would be venturing down this hallway, and even less likely that anyone would try to access a study room. But it was better to be safe.

I took a seat on one of the lounge chairs and gestured for her to do the same. She sat down heavily next to me but didn’t look up from her toes. She looked a nervous wreck, but I guess I couldn’t blame her. I was sure that in the long run, what I was about to do would help her, but that didn’t make the act of it any more pleasant. With a deep steadying breath, I put on the persona I had established the other day and began.

“Miss [Y/Surname], I assume you know why you’re here today?” She nodded, her eyes still glued to the floor. “When we are in this room, I expect your responses to be verbal and they should end by addressing me as ‘sir,’” I continued.

Still without looking up at me, she replied in an almost inaudible whisper, “yes, sir.”

“You are here today because your recent behavior warrants a spanking and I assure you, I will deliver, my girl. But before we begin, do tell me what you did to end up here?”

She was fidgeting more than usual. But I wanted to know what she was thinking. I had to know she had agreed to this for the right reasons. I didn’t push her, simply waiting. “It’s not because I cheated?” she asked, finally looking up at me. Her eyes were red rimmed, as if she had been crying or were about to. Damnit, this was harder than I thought.

“Not in the slightest. So, what did you do to earn this spanking?” I pressed on. It was a good sign that she knew I wasn’t upset with her for cheating. If Snape had even let her off the hook, it obviously wasn’t a big deal. That wasn’t the issue here.

“Because I can’t let it go. I’m still mad at myself for what happened,” she whispered, twirling her hair around her fingers.

“Correct. And as a result, you are not taking care of yourself. You need this discipline to remind you of how important self-care is.”

“Yes, sir.” She already sounded so miserable and I hadn’t even done anything yet. This was going to be the longest 2 minutes of my life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco: So, what did you do to earn this spanking?  
> Y/N: Because I can’t let it go. I’m still mad at myself for what happened.  
> Draco: Correct. And as a result, you are not taking care of yourself. You need this discipline to remind you of how important self-care is.  
> Y/N: Yes, sir. 
> 
> She already sounded so miserable and I hadn’t even done anything yet. This was going to be the longest 2 minutes of my life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter DOES contain non-sexual spanking between two minors. Of course, if you don't like this, you probably shouldn't read this story at all. Oh, this is the first time you get to see a bit of another character too!
> 
> Hope you enjoy,   
> comments + Kudos = love

“[Y/N], look at me,” he commanded, his tone gentler then it had been since I entered the study room. His change of tone had piqued my interest and I slowly looked up to find his face. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of anger in his eyes. He just looked concerned. “You know I’m only doing this because I care about you, right?”

I thought through his question for a moment before answering. When he had first suggested spanking me a few days before, it had certainly caught me off guard. I wasn’t a child. And he most definitely wasn’t my parent. But the more I thought about it, the more it kind of made sense. I was feeling guilty and, theoretically, receiving a spanking would give me the feeling of being properly punished. But if he really meant what he said, that I needed to let it go because I really wasn’t in the wrong, why would he want to punish me? And what did he know on the subject? The more I thought on it, the more the idea intrigued me. It horrified me. But it intrigued me all the same. And when it occurred to me that I couldn’t get the thought of it out of my head, I figured it was worth a try. He had been one of my best friends for over a year now and he knew me quite well; he must have had a good reason for suggesting something outlandish like this.

“You still have time to back out if you don’t want to do this. And you should know, being on this end; it’s new for me too. So, if you don’t feel comfortable with it, we’ll stop. But I’m only here because I care about you. You’re my best friend.” He reached across and took my hand, squeezing it gently in his. It was the first time he had acknowledged me as his best friend. And somehow, it gave me a little boost of confidence. I trusted him.

I took in a deep breath, closing my eyes to ground myself. I could do this. It would be okay. “I’ll never know if it helps or not if I don’t try. I trust you, Draco.”

He squeezed my hand gently once more. “If you need me to stop at any time, just say ‘Badger’. If you’re feeling truly distressed, don’t let me continue. Okay?” he asked. I nodded in understanding.

He reverted his tone back to the stern, authoritarian. “Because this is your first time, I will allow you to keep on all your clothes, but don’t expect that to become habit. I will be taking you over my knee and you will stay there until your spanking is through. I have already determined how long it will be, it is not for you to decide. Am I clear?”

The change in tone was intimidating. I knew he was the same person who had just been speaking to me so gently moments ago. But this new persona of his was odd. I wasn’t sure if I liked it. “Miss [Y/Surname], do I make myself clear?” he asked again, a finger on my chin, bringing my attention back to him and the present moment.

I nodded before remembering what he’d said about words. “Yes, sir.”

He nodded. “No stalling, my girl. Up you get,” he commanded, tugging gently on my arm, pulling me up on to my knees. He placed a pillow on the floor, and then tugged me down so I was lying stomach down across his lap, my arms on the pillow in front of me. “Are you comfortable?” he asked in the same no-nonsense tone.

What was I supposed to say? I was in possibly the most embarrassing position I could be. With a boy. Who was about to slap my buttocks repeatedly. In a way that would be intended to hurt. To be honest, I was far from comfortable, at least mentally. But his arms pulled me closer to him, one hand still held mine, up against the small of my back, and I was resting my head against my other arm, which was cuddling a pillow. Physically, I was in pretty good shape. “Um, I guess?”

“Good. I want you to be comfortable. I don’t want that pretty little head of yours to be thinking about anything but the pain I’m administering.”

He didn’t say another word. Instead, my bottom was met with a smack. It hadn’t been very hard, in fact, it hadn’t really hurt at all. But it was followed by another smack, on the opposite side of my bum. The smacking continued, but not nearly heavy enough to hurt.

That didn’t last long though. His intensity increased suddenly, but he kept the same even tempo. He didn’t say a word and it forced my thoughts to what I was feeling. And I was starting to feel more. With each swat to my bottom, his hand fell heavier than the smack before and it was starting to sting. The sting wasn’t much, like the snap of a rubber band. But as he continued, the sting grew. It wasn’t quite painful, but it was really uncomfortable, and I found myself trying to squirm away from the impact.

He pulled me in closer to him, tightened his grip, and continued, his intensity increasing even more. “If you are struggling,” he said after a round of smacks. Another round of 10 swats fell on to my stinging bottom. “You need to ask for help.” He fell silent again, and the only sound was that of his hand on my bum, and somehow, that made the feeling more intense.

It was beginning to hurt, but it was tolerable. But without knowing how much longer he intended to spank me, it was hard to tell if it would get much worse. He delivered another 10 swats, these a little bit harder than any of those before, but then just as quickly as he started, he stopped. He moved his hand up to rub my back. “What did we learn today?”

“Um...” I started, my voice shaking. “Don’t let guilt eat me alive?” I guessed. That’s what he had emphasized the most.

“Correct.” He ‘rewarded’ me with 2 more significantly harder smacks. “And next time we’re struggling with something, what are we going to do?” His hand went back to rubbing my back.

“Suffer in silence?” I tried sarcastically. He clearly didn’t find it funny. He brought his hand down another ten times across my backside, harder than any before. I couldn’t suppress the gasp of pain.

“Wrong answer. Try again. When you are struggling with something, what do you need to do next time? What _should_ you have done instead of panicking on your exam?”

The question caught me off guard. What could I have done differently? I mean, in my exam, the best I could have done was take a deep breath and move on. But I was upset about more than the test. This was about everything. Reading. Remembering. Focusing. Sitting still. Two more heavy smacks brought my attention back to the present. “You can voice your thoughts aloud.”

He went back to rubbing my back. “I could have skipped the question I was stuck on. I could have come back to it later.”

Two more swats fell. “Good start. What else? There’s more to this than just one exam.”

Could he read my mind? Or had I somehow communicated that in the past few weeks? “I can ask for help. You helped me last week. Professor Snape has helped me. I should ask for help instead of getting bent out of shape.”

His hand came down two more times. “Good girl. Come here.” He gently rolled me over onto my side and pulled me up, so I was mostly sitting in his lap, but most of the weight was off my bottom. He pulled me close and wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. I clung to him tighter. I didn’t want him to let me go. Right now, I really needed to be held. It felt right.

After a moment or two, he spoke up. But the stern tone of voice was gone. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

“Hmm,” he paused in thought. “Then I can make it harder next time.”

My face had been previously buried in his chest, but I looked up at this. “Next time?”

“If you need a next time, I’ll be here, [Y/N].”

I settled back down. “It doesn’t really hurt much. But it really stings.”

“That’s good. I didn’t want to take it too far, but I did want the feeling to linger a bit. I’m glad I succeeded there.”

I squirmed out of his grasp and turned to face him. “Draco. What did you mean by ask for help?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Now, I thought you came to that conclusion on your own? Have you forgotten already?”

“Yes. I mean, No. I just...” I closed my eyes and took a breath, trying to bring my thoughts back into coherence. “You said if I'm struggling, I should ask for help. But sometimes, I don’t know when to ask for help. Or how. Or if it’s appropriate. I feel...different. And not in a muggleborn-in-a-magic-world kind of different. I can look around a room at any given time and see people doing perfectly normal things without a struggle. Writing. Reading. Playing a game of chess. I just...I can see that there’s something different about me. But I don’t know what it is.”

“Then talk to a professor. If you have a problem, that’s what your head of house is for.”

I buried my face again. “I was actually thinking of asking Snape. He gave me a second chance on my test even though I was caught cheating. There must be a reason. Maybe he’s noticed something.”

He was quiet for a moment, but he picked up rubbing my back again. “That’s a good idea. I’m proud of you for that. I can even go with you. You know, as moral support. Because he apparently scares the shite out of you.” I giggled.

I just rested in his arms for another moment before I finally sat up. “I need to go soon. Luna will be wondering what’s up if I’m not back soon.”

He stood up before me and offered me his hand, pulling me up. As soon as I was balanced, he pulled me into a hug. “You okay? I’m not your enemy now?”

A smile escaped. “I’m good. But tired now. I might take a nap later after I get some homework done.”

I let go of the hug, so he opened the door and held it open for me. We walked together to the grand staircase. “I’ll see ya later. If you need anything, let me know,” he said, turning to make his way down the stairs.

-

“Hey [Y/N]!” Luna greeted me as soon as I entered the room. “I don’t know where you’ve been, but the wrackspurts that have been swarming you recently seem to have dissipated.”

“Hi Luna. The wrackspurts?” I asked, gingerly taking a seat on my bed. I was relieved that our third roommate was currently out of the room. It was just the two of us for now.

“Wrackspurts. They’re little invisible creatures, you can only see them with spectre specks. But they swarm around people’s heads,” Luna commented, pushing up the odd pink and blue glasses to rest on her head. “Some people are affected more than others. You've had an infestation for weeks. But now it’s gone.”

“Hmm...that’s odd,” I commented, pulling my backpack up on my bed so I could start working on my homework.

“You were spending time with Draco this morning?” she asked airily. I felt as though she might be watching me, but I tried to ignore the feeling. Luna was observant; she caught on to a lot more than most people gave her credit for. I settled for a nod of my head. She studied me for a moment more. “Hmm. Well, whatever you were doing with him, you should keep it up. It’s made a pleasant difference.”

It caught me off guard. I looked up at her. She could clearly read the question in my eyes because she shrugged. “You don’t have to tell me what it is you were up to. But wrackspurts aside, you seem a bit calmer, more at ease. I’m glad you're feeling better.”


End file.
